Dawn broke over the horizon. Pink rays of sunlight began filtering into the valley the crew of The Valkyrie had become shipwrecked on. The morning chased away the blue-grey of the night. Dew sparkled like diamonds on the golden stalks of grass. How cruel of the sun to continue rising, Claire thought. Like her brother hadn't fallen to his death mere days before. Sleep came little to her over the past week, and she sat next to a fire that had been lulled to mere coals and embers by the cold of the night before.

She tried to wrestle with the truth that Evan, like many of the crew including herself, had survived the fall. However, as the days continued to wane into nights, her hope had quickly fallen to despair.

It was the only thing her mother had asked of her since Evan joined The Alliance. And she had failed. Not only had she failed her mother, but she'd failed herself, for it was her wish to keep Evan safe—to keep what little family she had left in this horrid world safe.

"Fullwing!" A woman's voice broke Claire from her pity.

Claire turned to see a familiar stern look. If she hadn't known it was Vausse's wife, Claire would think Engineer Vausse was his younger sister, such were the similarities in their demeanor.

"What is it, Engineer Vausse?" Claire said as she stood and brushed the sandy dirt from her rear. Her skin shivered with the breeze that swept outward from the valley, numb as she was.

"Gods, woman, have you been sleeping?" Engineer Vausse's face twisted when she saw Claire.

"No."

Vausse wasn't surprised by Claire's candor.

"Did you come over here to gawk at my appearance, or was there something you actually wanted?" Claire said.

"You're the sister of that boy who was charged with caring for the winged girl, yes?"

Claire nodded. Tears seated themselves behind her eyelids at the mention of Evan, but she bit the inside of her lip to keep them there.

"I finished the modifications to his rigging belt, but I haven't been able to find him among the crew. Did..." Her voice wavered. "Did he survive the battle?"

Claire shook her head as she fought harder to keep from crying. She wondered if she was far enough away from her subordinates. Engineer Vausse wasn't part of her command, so it wouldn't matter if she saw. Vausse would never allow her to cry in front of the other crew, however. Moral was already low enough, and their leaders showing weakness would crush what little they held onto.

"I don't know," Claire responded, "He was thrown overboard before we went down. There's a slim chance he survived, but he didn't land in this valley..." Claire's lip began to quiver.

"Damnit!" Vausse shouted as she threw the belt to the ground. "Stupid boy! If only he'd brought his belt to me sooner!"

Claire jumped at the Engineer's reaction. It was clear the pain she felt for not finishing the belt and getting it back to Evan. "It wouldn't have mattered."

Vausse looked at Claire with confusion.

"He was thrown over by an enemy. He wouldn't have been hooked to the ship anyways, so it's not your fault."

Vausse's face softened. "As Engineer's, we rarely see combat," she began, "We're in it just the same as you Leaves in terms of the ship being under siege, but we don't actually see it because if we did it would mean the ship was already lost. Still, we know well placed cannon fire can tear into the engine room despite the focus of armor that surrounds it." Vausse looked to the ground where Evan's rigging belt lay. "You know, it was him and that winged girl that saved the ship when the cores went wild."

Claire looked at Vausse, catching her eye.

Vausse picked up the belt and dusted the sand from it. "Magic if I ever saw any. Do you know how they did it?"

"No, how?"

"They talked to the damn things, hugged them even!" Vausse chuckled. "I thought they were mad."

Claire stifled a laugh. She didn't want to allow herself to feel happy, but the image of Evan stroking a core with his hand while he rubbed his cheek against it and talking to it was too much. "Why in The Abyss would they do that?"

"Beats me, but then the girl told us to join in, so we did!" Vausse started laughing, and Claire could do little but join in. "There wasn't else to do. Ship was doomed, we all knew it. Once a core goes wild, the whole ship is done for." She took a breath and wiped under her eye.

Claire calmed her laughter as well.

Vausse's face returned to her normal frown. "Damned thing calmed right down and allowed you to fly us safely to that isle. I'll never forget those two because of that. Made me really wonder if magic is real, you know?"

"Sounds like my brother. He always had a talent for doing the most bizarre things, and having them work in his favor. His plans have saved us every time against The Empire's superior might."

"Can't give him all the credit. Having the best pilot in The Alliance counts for something too. The two of you working together will likely be what changes this war in our favor."

Claire looked down. "If only..." She took a strand of hair in her hand and began twirling it between her fingers

Vausse put her hand on Claire's shoulder. She groaned a bit, forgetting that Evan may not have survived. Her heart tore a bit as she thought of her daughter back in Arcadia, and what state it may be in.

"I lost my assistant in the last fight."

Claire looked up again.

"First time I ever lost someone. As Engineer's we don't see the combat that goes on outside, and the Core Room is so heavily armored that we feel invincible. Still, didn't stop a pipe from blowing him in half when our rear engines were struck..." Her voice wobbled as she spoke. "Elrich... er, I mean Commandwing Vausse said it never gets easier, and you're never ready for it."

"He's right; you're never prepared for any of them."

Vausse pulled her thick leather gloves off and stuffed them under her armpit with Evan's belt before removing a comb from one of the many pockets laden on her pants. She brushed some stray strands of hair back into her bun of auburn hair. She then handed the comb to Claire.

"You could use this. Don't want the others to see you in this wreck."

Claire was surprised at how she seemed to collect herself so well. It was like she'd combed her stern expression back onto her face.

However, the frizzy hair Claire could see from the corner of her eyes confirmed that Vausse was right. She probably did look unbecoming of a Leaf, especially an officer of her rank. Claire took the comb and began to pull her hair back into the wavy lochs it normally was.

"My name's Adelle. Positions of command rarely have the luxury of finding friends among the crew due to the rules surrounding rank, but ours are equal, and I think a friend is needed in times like these. What's your name?"

"Claire," Claire said as she handed the comb back to Adelle. "And, thank you... for the comb."

Adelle gave Claire a small smile. She handed the belt to Claire. "Our loved ones aren't dead until we see it for our own eyes. Remember that. He may still yet be on this isle somewhere." She grabbed Claire's hand as Claire reached for the belt, and gave her a stern look.

Claire could still see the sympathy in her eyes, however.

"Come. Walk with me, Claire."

Claire took the belt and held it close as she walked alongside Adelle. "It's hard to remember that..."

"I can sympathize. I have a daughter myself." She began walking towards what was left of The Valkyrie.

Claire's eyes widened. She didn't think Vausse had children.

Adelle chuckled at Claire's surprise. "I know, my husband doesn't seem like he'd have the time to father children what with the time he spends on his career."

"To be direct, I struggled to believe he had a wife. After learning you served as well, it was easier to understand how—"

"Is there a point to this?" Addelle's eyebrow raised at Claire.

"I meant no offense. I just can sympathize with the dedication being a Leaf demands. I think it's sweet that you two are allowed to serve together, actually."

"Command sure didn't like it in the beginning. If it weren't for our professionalism and our commitment to The Alliance, they probably wouldn't have allowed it, even though there's no rule specifically baring it."

"Family certainly can compromise your ability to make the decision best suited for the ship... We have to remember all those on the ship have families too."

"Indeed. But I know as much as it would pain my husband, he would do what's best for the ship even if it meant he'd lose me, and I would do the same for him."

"I failed in that." Claire's eyes fell to her boots, and she began running her fingers between her hair again.

Vausse stared at her sideways. She wondered why Claire played with her hair like a nervous child.

"I almost abandoned the helm to try and save my brother. Had Vausse not been there to keep me at my post, my actions would've cost the entire ship their—"

"That's enough. You can't blame your actions in the heat of battle. We're alive, and that's all that matters. We can mourn those who aren't when we end this war."

Claire sighed. "You're right..." Her mind still lingered on Evan though as she continued to play with her hair.

"Why do you do that?"

"Do what?" Claire turned to Adelle and furrowed her brow. She dropped her hair.

"Why do you play with your hair like a nervous little girl whenever you feel something sad? I noticed you did it earlier. It's not how I imagined an officer with your reputation to act."

Claire's eyes widened, and her cheeks burned red. She felt heat envelop her entire body. "I-I," she stuttered.

Claire hadn't noticed the tick, but now that it had been pointed out to her, she'd done it ever since she got the news about her father's disappearance. She took comfort in the distraction from the pain that welled inside her whenever she was reminded or thought about it.

"I guess I started doing it when my father went missing," she continued, "It's a comfort thing."

"Odd."

Claire furrowed her brow. "Don't you do anything to comfort yourself in times of stress and depression?"

Adelle thought for a moment. "I guess I've lived a rather charmed life. Neither of my parents were in the war, and none of my extended family was affected by it. We've lived in Arcadia my whole life, so war was always a distant thing for us, like a scary bedtime story, if you will."

"So why did you join The Alliance then?"

"I wanted the adventure. Staying in Arcadia meant I would have to take a husband, and be a model woman in society. I grew up in that, and hated every minute of it. I craved to see the rest of the sky, and the isles that inhabited it, and I was good with puzzles, so the Engineer's guild took me into their program."

"And yet, you ended up married, what a good daughter of society," Claire jested.

Adelle shoved her. "Shut it. I wasn't easily taken with Vausse. He wore me down over the years though."

The scent of seared pork filled her nose as it sizzled over an open flame. Adelle had led her to the cook's station where he'd cooked a wild boar some of the Leaves had poached the day before. Claire's stomach rumbled at the thought of how it would taste. Boar meat was a delicacy in The Everblue because of their small numbers. The only known isle they inhabited was the I'l au Fement, The Isle of the Hunted.

The meat was so rare to come by because of the monsters that also inhabited that isle that Claire had only ever had it once. Her mouth watered as she thought back on her graduation ceremony from The Alliance Academy where it had been served for their dinner. She could still remember the taste, and had wondered if she'd ever get to taste it again.

"It's hard to imagine anything lives on this isle," Adelle said. "What luck that we would find boar here. So much better than bland meal."

"Out of all the supplies to survive the crash, and it had to be that tasteless stuff," Claire chuckled. "Must be a joke of the gods that it should survive with us."

Adelle chuckled as well. "I often thought of starving. Once it ran out, I was glad, at least until the realization that starving had become the thing we'd do. Thank the gods indeed for this. It's, after all, time we had something go our way on this mission."

"Indeed. Not a couple days out and our cores threaten to throw us from the sky, then we're attacked by three Empire warships," Claire said as they both began laughing louder. Claire stopped, and Adelle soon followed. "Just like war..."

"Indeed..."

A silence grew between the two as they stepped to the serving table. The ship's cook plated them two large slabs of meat.

"Good morning, Fullwing, Engineer." He nodded to the two women. "I haven't the means to prepare such a delicacy the way I'd like, but I reckon anything's better than what we've had recent."

"You're forgiven, Karrus, still the best cook to serve in The Alliance in my book," Adelle said.

"Mighty kind of you as always, ma'am." The cook tipped his head to Adelle. "Good news too, I heard the isle's rampant with boar, so we'll get to have it more than we could ever dream."

"Finally, something passable as food instead of that horrid scrill."

The hairs on Claire's neck stood on end at the sound of the prisoner's voice.

"I thought they would've stopped feeding you days ago when we knew our supplies wouldn't last much longer," Claire said through her teeth. She'd forgotten about all the pain she'd been feeling for a small moment, but the sounds of his voice brought back those memories in force.

Claire turned. Her blood had already begun to boil and red crept into the edges of her vision. She stopped short of looking at the prisoner when she saw who attended to him. Corporal Manns stood holding a rope tied to the one that bound the prisoner's hands. Bandages covered most of his body, and his left arm was secured with a sling to his chest. More covered his left eye, and Claire should see the contraction of burnt skin on the edges of them.

She felt for him. Corporal Manns wasn't much older than Evan. He was about a head taller than her and seemed barely aware of his duties. She then turned her gaze to the prisoner. He smirked at her, and she scowled in return.

"Most men would see your cold look and be afraid," he said. "Unbecoming of a woman, they would say in whispers behind your back. I, however, find it alluring, for a hume. Much like the women of my own kind, fierce, unafraid. Were you an elf, I might even consider taking you as my wife, but I'd want to see another expression to be sure." he winked, knowing it would piss Claire off.

Claire gave no sign that his words did any such thing. "Corporal!" she said.

Corporal Manns winced as he made the smallest effort to stand straighter. "Ma'am?"

"At ease, corporal," she waived a hand to allow him to relax. Not that one could relax with injuries such as those. Claire made a note in her mind to award him for pressing through what she could only imagine was a pain equal to the one in her own heart. "Tell me, corporal, do you believe this—man—here is deserving of such a delicacy?"

"Alliance Code states we must afford all prisoners, even those of war, basic necessities." His voice was gravely. A cause of his injuries no doubt.

"True, but tell me, would you give your rations for someone who would no sooner kill you had he the chance, knowing our food supplies run short as they are?"

Corporal Manns' face contorted with confusion. "I was ordered to guard the prisoner, Fullwing."

"What are you playing at, Leaf?" the prisoner questioned.

"I don't remember telling you to open your mouth," Claire growled at him. She turned and grabbed one of the plates the cook had prepared and dumped the ration onto the other. She then handed it to Corporal Manns. "It's the least I can do at this time for your commitment to your oath, corporal."

"But Fullwing, that's against—"

"Corporal, this man is clearly healthy enough to survive without one meal. Besides, he should learn that the hospitality we afford even prisoners of his kind can be taken should he not at least be civil, if his kind even knows what civility is." Her scowl deepened as the prisoner's brow furrowed.

The two stared at each other for a moment.

"Kaslav!"

"What did you say?" Claire stepped closer, handing her food to Adelle as she looked up into his face.

The prisoner's lips curled. "It means b—"

Claire's hand slapped across his face, throwing him off balance and almost taking the Corporal with him.

Claire adjusted her armor. "Feel free to take his next meal as well for talking to an officer that way."

"Yes, ma'am," Corporal Manns said.

Claire turned and took her food from Adelle as the two began walking again.

"Remind me never to piss you off," Adelle said.

"I hate that guy," Claire said as she turned back to look at him. The man rubbed his cheek which had already begun to turn red in the shape of her hand. She couldn't help but notice a small scar the cut diagonally across his square chin or how his blond hair fell in long waves around his face.

She grunted, willing herself to forget those details as she turned back.

"That's what I said about Elrich when I first met him too." Adelle now peered back at the prisoner too.

"Who?"

"The Commandwing."

"I should've figured." Claire chuckled.

"You know... were we not enemies, he wouldn't look so bad. He certainly fills that armor out." Adelle teased.

Claire's cheeks turned the slightest shade of rose. "What are you talking about?" Her voice was short. "How could you even suggest something about an enemy?" She said as her head turned instinctually back.

"Come, prisoner," Corporal Manns said as he tugged on the rope for the prisoner to follow.

Claire could see the muscles on his back ripple underneath the leather breastplate he wore. She shook her head for even noticing.

"I could never find one of his kind attractive. Not after the terror they've inflicted on us for so long."

"Suppose so, but you'd be surprised what your body does without your permission."

"Enough, Adelle!" Claire shoved her.

Adelle laughed. "I think we're going to get along well, Claire."

"Only if you quit talking about that bastard."

"Who's the one still talking about him?" Adelle smirked.

Claire grumbled. It had been awhile since she'd had someone other than her brother tease her.

"I should thank you, Adelle." Claire said, her voice softening.

"For what?"

"For taking my mind off the situation we're in... It's nice..."

"That's how we get through this war. By making sure those beside us are okay. I know as an officer you forget that you suffer the same of your men. We have to look out for ourselves too, you know."

"Yeah. You're right."

"Fullwing, there you are!" Commandwing Vausse said as the two approached the.

"Sir?"

"Hurry and eat, I need you for an urgent assignment."

"What is it sir?"

"Today's the day we send an expedition into the cavern on the far end of the valley. It's time we know what else is on this isle, and if there's anything we can use to get us off it."